


Blade in the Dark

by Pandorah



Series: The Adventures of Ogthar and Malik [2]
Category: Pathfinder (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Backstory, Dream Merchant, Gen, Torture, fetchling slayer, tiefling mesmer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-11-06 02:49:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17931395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandorah/pseuds/Pandorah
Summary: Malik was going about his business as a Dream Merchant one night just like usual. After finishing up a transaction, he is jumped by someone he first thought to be a potential client. It turns out he was wrong. Very, very, wrong.This is the backstory of Malik Vox. This is the event that takes place before our campaign started.





	Blade in the Dark

The sky was black and angry as it rumbled with thunder and flashed lighting. Rain poured down soaking anyone to the bone in seconds who happened to get caught in it. The wind howled like a demon on a rampage keeping most people with any common sense indoors. It was times like this that the more shady and less lawful people moved about to do their business. Down at the docks, one such transaction was taking place despite the raging storm around them.

"I believe that completes our agreement, gentlemen." The grey skinned tiefling rolled up the parchment after it was signed by the two men who were with him. "If you will just double check the contents before you move on to make sure everything is accounted for." he held his hand out to the cart that sat a few few away from them.

"There's no need for that, Malik. This isn't the first time that we've done business." The man who replied had skin as dark as the night and pointed ears.

The second man who was much smaller and was mostly covered in cloth except for his eyes only grunted and headed over to the cart. He made sure the tarp over the top was secure before climbing up into the drivers seat, snapped the horses reins, and slowly left the storehouse out into the storm.

"I am honored to have your trust." Malik gave a grin as he bowed. "It is always nice to have repeat customers who are as pleasant to deal with as you are. Please don't hesitate should you require my services again in the future."

After his clients left, Malik went about storing his new acquisition in its proper place in his storage. It was a small box that was covered in protective runes, but it wasn't the box that had value but what lay inside. He made his way to a locked section of the warehouse where his more valuable items were kept. He grabbed a tag from a table inside and quickly filled it out before placing the box on one of the shelves. The contract was then locked inside of a large safe that was hidden with illusion magic. Once everything was put away and filed correctly, Malik relocked up the room and headed out.

As he made his way towards his office, a very quiet sound caught his attention. If it had not been for his sharp hearing, he would not have noticed it at all. With a frown, he made his way towards the direction the sound had been.

"Bode, is that you?" he called out to his orc guard.

He did not receive an answer. Instead, when he rounded the corner he found Bode face down on the ground dead with his throat slit. His giant club still leaned against the wall to the side letting him know that the attack had happened fast enough that the orc did not have time to react. Malik was instantly on guard and reached into a leather pouch on his belt to pull out his tail blade. Before he could pull it out however, he felt the cold hard edge of a blade pressed against his throat. He instantly froze in place.

"Malik Vox? My master has taken an interest in you." The voice that spoke into his ear was quiet and raspy but the words were clear.

Malik tried to turn his head to see the speaker but the firm press of the blade into his throat made him stop. He could feel the warmth of his blood as it slid down his neck.

"I am happy to do business with him, but I prefer face to face conversations. If you don't mind letting me go so that we can speak properly?"

The only answer he received in response was to be yanked backwards into darkness. The shadows wrapped around him like a cold blanket and he felt like he was falling. He couldn't see or hear anything not even himself. Suddenly everything slammed to a halt and he found himself face down on a cold stone floor. With a groan he rolled over and up into a sitting position to look around. There was hardly any light visible but he had pretty good dark vision and could make out enough to see that he was in some sort of cave. He heard the sound of water running nearby which meant that they were still by the river probably not too far from his warehouse. He didn't recall any caves nearby but then again he didn't exactly go wandering around outside of the city.

He slowly got to his feet, wobbling a bit as his head still swam from the shadow travel, and looked around again. He could see something moving in the shadows but not enough to make out more than a blurred shape. He saw that the faint bit of light was coming from an entrance not too far away. He decided not to move though as it was doubtful that whoever brought him here would just let him leave.

"Hello? If you are still here I'd very much like to know what is going on."

A force slammed into his chest sending him stumbling backwards into a wall. His head cracked against the stone causing him to bite his tongue and sent his vision spinning. Whoever this was apparently had no desire to do business but wished him harm. It would not be the first time that someone had attacked him but it didn't happen very often. Once again he reached for his blade only to have his arms yanked above his head and chains clasped around his wrists. The chains were pulled tight so he was lifted off the floor until only his toes touched the ground. A chain wrapped around his legs and tail to prevent movement.

"While I don't mind being tied up, I did not consent to this." Malik spoke to the shadows.

The shadows finally shifted and a figure dressed head to toe in black stepped out from them. A stark white hand appeared and reached up to pull the hood and mask down that covered their face. A pair of solid black eyes and lips painted black appeared along with a creepy smirk. The black marks that ran from the eyes like tears stood out against her porcelain like skin. The woman approached him with her dagger held out before dragging it across his cheek, her grin growing wide at the sight of his blood.

Malik winced and tried to pull away but he had hardly any freedom to move. "Ah, it's been awhile since I've seen a Fetchling. What is your name? What do you want with me?"

The woman shook her head. "Nyxtra, but it is not I who wants you, but my master." she moved in the shadows and lit a torch that was nearby to spread light into the cave. She brought it closer to Malik before sticking it between some rocks. She then reached into her clothes and pulled out a small rectangle box. She opened the box and held it up to Malik. "Do you know what this is?"

Malik looked down to examine the contents of the box. The item looked like a piece of jewelry, gold in color and with a ruby in the center. Judging by the shape, it was a type of circlet or forehead ornament. On the inside were short sharp looking spikes that would dig painfully into the wearers head. He had seen one of these before and it had not been a pleasant experience for the one who had been wearing it.

"That is a Soulbound Eye." his eyes were wide with fear and he started struggling against the chains that bound him.

"As I said, my master has an interest in you and your particular talents." Nyxtra removed the item from the box and tossed the box aside. "They thank you for your cooperation."

Malik did his best to resist but with the dagger once again pressing into his throat deep enough to cut, he was helpless. The item was pressed hard into his forehead and he screamed in pain as the spikes lengthened and shot into his skull fixing the piece in place. He continued to yell and fight against the chains as the pain became overwhelming. The pain slowly began to subside but it did not go away completely. His face was warm and sticky from his own blood and he felt nauseous.

"This is going to go one of two ways." Nyxtra held up a finger. "The first, you swear your loyalty to The Inspired and follow my masters every command willingly." Another finger was held up. "Or, you wear this for the rest of your life and things are made even more miserable for you as you are continuously tortured. Then be made to serve The Inspired forcefully."

Malik let out a laugh and spit blood out onto the ground. "How about option three. You take this damn thing off and let me get back to my job. If your 'Master' wanted to do business with me, he should have come to me himself normally like everyone else. Attacking me is not going to win you any favors."

A wide grin split Nyxtra's face and her black eyes widened. "I was hoping that you'd put up a fight!"

Malik's head exploded into pain so severe that he started screaming at the top of his lungs. To make things worse, he could feel the sting and stabbing pain as Nyxtra attacked him with a dagger. A voice rang in his head to submit and obey over and over endlessly. Every now and then the pain would let up enough that he was no longer screaming. Then Nyxtra would repeat the options she had given him, Malik would just curse her or stay silent, and then the pain would start again.

Hours or days, Malik was unsure of how long he was tortured. He'd lost track of time long ago due to the sever pain that was being inflicted upon him. At some point he had been removed from the wall and tossed to the ground. His clothes were cut off of him so that Nyxtra had better access to her skin for inflicting more pain upon him. Along with cut and stabs from her dagger, at one point she had also picked up the torch and was pressing it into his skin. His skin was covered in cuts, bruises, and burns and he had been completely sapped of all energy from screaming so much. His horns had been broken and they lay in pieces scattered around the floor of the cave. At one point she had even stabbed him with one of them.

"What is your choice."

Malik took a moment to answer as the pain in his head backed off enough. He slowly cracked open his eyes to look up at her, though his vision was blurry doing to his face being so swollen. "I...will do it." his voice was raspy and rough from all of the screaming and dry from the lack of water. "Please...no more."

Nyxtra looked disappointed for a moment before she started chanting something. With a flick of her fingers, the Soulbound Eye cracked and then shattered into dust.

"Welcome to The Inspired, Malik Vox."


End file.
